Celtic look set to miss out on long-term transfer target Ola Solbakken of Bodo/Glimt; with the Norwegian star being heavily linked with a move to Serie A giants and Champions League outfit Napoli ahead of the new season.
Solbakken joined Bodo/Glimt back in 2020 from Ranheim, and has since scored 17 goals and registered 19 assists in his time in the Arctic Circle.
The 23-year-old impressed massively in the Europa Conference League, with an assist and a goal over two legs against Celtic putting Ange Postecoglou’s men to the sword back in February.
He shot to prominence in Italy after scoring twice against Jose Mourinho’s Roma in October as the Scandinavian minnows ran the side from the Italian capital ragged in a 6-1 win, before scoring at the Stadio Olimpico just two weeks later.
And with just six months left on his deal, it appears that Napoli are set to offer him a new home at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona with a free deal in the winter, according to Gianluca Di Marzio.
It all but ends Celtic’s interest in the star, who had been reportedly hoping for his signature over the past few months.
The west-coast side have agreed personal terms on a contract starting from 2023, according to Fabrizio Romano – and anything he says is as good as done.
Solbakken previously spoke out about his future in May, claiming that ‘time would tell’ over a potential move to Glasgow’s greatest side.
“I have not talked at all with Glimt about the contract or transfer,” Solbakked told Eurosport.
What has taken a lot of my focus is actually that operation here. I’ve felt a lot that it was time to do it now, so we have not talked about it [a move]. When it will be, time will tell. There is nothing more I know or can say about it at the moment.
If the transfer window had been open, it would not have changed anything. It had to be fixed now, but there is nothing to hide that I want to do the best I can in Glimt with going abroad as a reward for it. It would have been boring to go abroad and start with an injury, but the small operation had to be done anyway.”
Onto the next one…
